Author Rachel Hollis says family 'devastated' by death of ex-husband at 47

Bestselling author Rachel Hollis is speaking out about the unexpected death of her ex-husband, Dave Hollis.

Dave Hollis, also a bestselling author, died "peacefully" on Saturday night at his home near Austin, Texas, at the age of 47. The exact cause of death has not been determined, according to a statement released by Hollis's family.

He had recently been hospitalized for "some heart issues," according to the family's statement.

Rachel Hollis and Dave Hollis, who announced their divorce in 2020, share four children together.

"We are devastated," Rachel Hollis wrote on Instagram Tuesday, in her first public comments about her ex-husband's death. "I have no words and my heart is too broken to find them."

She continued, "Please wrap the kids up in prayers as we try and navigate through the unthinkable."

Rachel Hollis worked alongside her ex-husband over the past two decades as she went from writing a blog to a building a career as a sometimes controversial motivational speaker and bestselling self-help author. In 2021, she issued a public apology after comparing herself to Harriet Tubman and other women she called "unrelatable."

In 2018, Dave Hollis left a high-profile career at Disney, where he worked on global movie distribution, to work full-time alongside his then-wife. The two led their own media company, The Hollis Company.

In 2020, Dave Hollis released his own book, "Get Out of Your Own Way."

The following year, he released a second book, "Built Through Courage."

At the time of his death, Dave Hollis was the host of the "Rise Together" podcast and a "keynote speaker, and life and business coach," according to his website.

His last Instagram post, on Feb. 5, shows a photo of his daughter fishing on a dock.

In the last blog post on his website, published in June, Dave Hollis wrote about being a father to his and Rachel Hollis' four kids.

"As I think about how to show up best for my kids, how to approach being the best dad for them so that they might one day grow up to be great dads (and moms) to their kids, it starts with showing up as best I can for myself," he wrote. "Doing what I can to stay focused on the things I can control (focusing on my spiritual, physical, mental and emotional health), and the hope that the way I'll model those values while celebrating my wins and learning from my failures gives them a path forward to do the same."

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